Venture capital firms and research institutions have launched the European Life Science Coalition (ELSC) in a bid to strengthen Europe’s VC ecosystem by mobilizing more private and public investment. Members of the coalition collectively manage more than €24 billion (US$28.5 billion) and have helped to found, or invested in, 1,400 startups. But there is a persistent problem with scaling and access to capital, with 66 of the 67 European companies that have made it to a public market in the past six years listing in the U.S. That is blamed on Europe’s fragmented capital markets and structural barriers to investment. “[ELSC] is about attracting significantly more private and public capital into European life sciences and biotech,” said Cedric Moreau, partner at the French VC firm Sofinnova, who is chairing the coalition.

Spurned by FDA, PTC takes back Translarna clearance bid

After two decades of work with Translarna (ataluren) for nonsense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy, PTC Therapeutics Inc. withdrew its bid for approval of the compound upon hearing from the U.S. FDA. Regulators told PTC that the data package for Translarna is “unlikely to meet the agency's threshold of substantial evidence of effectiveness.”

Australia launches world-first pediatric mRNA brain cancer trial

A world-first pediatric mRNA cancer vaccine trial is launching in Australia that could open new possibilities for children with aggressive brain tumors. The Paedneo-Vax trial, funded by Canada’s Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc., in combination with the Australian Government and philanthropic donors, is the first multisite pediatric study to evaluate individualized mRNA vaccines designed specifically for each child's cancer.

After thalassemia win, Agios advances mitapivat, tebapivat in SCD

Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc. is preparing to present a mixed bag of phase III Rise Up data to the U.S. FDA in hopes of “full approval” for mitapivat in sickle cell disease (SCD), which would make it its third indication in rare hematology. Agios, of Flagship Pioneering, reported Feb. 12 of an upcoming pre-supplemental NDA meeting with the agency in the first quarter, which comes after the second regulatory clearance of the oral therapy to treat thalassemia in December 2025. Mitapivat, an oral pyruvate kinase (PK) activator, first won FDA approval in April 2022 as Pyrukynd to treat hemolytic anemia in adults with PK deficiency, a rare genetic disorder that causes premature destruction of red blood cells.

Calla Lily, Merck KGaA ink drug delivery platform deal

Calla Lily Clinical Care Ltd.’s strategic collaboration with Merck KGaA to support the development of Callavid, its intravaginal drug delivery platform, is a “huge validation” of the work the company is doing, Lara Zibners, co-founder and chairman of Calla Lily, told BioWorld. “The collaboration is even more important given that we're about to go into our first in-woman trial. So to have this agreement signed before we even have clinical data is a big vote of confidence in us and the technology,” said Zibners.

Tumor, immune and neural cells are involved in cancer cachexia

A circuit formed by tumor, immune and nervous systems triggers cancer cachexia and anorexia, the excessive loss of weight, muscle and fat experienced in some cancer types. A new study is the first showing these three actors of a triangle interaction that initiates and feeds the process.

All of Us hits goal of representing all of US

More than a decade after it was first proposed, the U.S. Precision Medicine Initiative that grew into the NIH’s All of Us dataset has reached its target of collecting genetic and health-related data from 1 million Americans representative of the diversity across the country. Testifying before a recent Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya provided an update on the program that was conceived in 2015 and launched in 2018 with the goal of creating the most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind to help researchers gain better insights into the biological, environmental and behavioral factors that influence health across the U.S.

Strong start to 2026 signals continued momentum in biopharma deals

Biopharma dealmaking continued its momentum into 2026, with January logging $31.16 billion in total value. That figure outpaced January 2025’s $28.63 billion and exceeded the 2025 monthly average of about $24.38 billion, and also ranks in the top three months of the past two years. For the full-year 2025, deal value climbed to $292.55 billion, the highest annual total in BioWorld’s records.

Holiday notice

BioWorld's offices will be closed in observance of Presidents Day in the U.S. No issue will be published Monday, Feb. 16.

Also in the news

Aardvark, Alkermes, Annovis, Arvinas, Avadel, Berlin Heals, Biogen, Biorestorative, Biovica, Brainscope, Bridgebio, Caredx, Cellprothera, Celyad, Centessa, Compugen, Encora, Entirety, Eradivir, Etienna, I-sens, Immunesensor, Inmune, Lifescan, Mesoblast, Natus, Nektar, Neupulse, Neurent, Novocure, Nxera, Onconetix, Realbotix, Sanofi, Serac, Seres, Surge, Teijin, Therab, Venturemed, Xilio

Publisher’s note: Med-tech content will be featured in BioWorld

Beginning Feb. 2, 2026, medical technology news and analysis will be integrated into BioWorld, where curated coverage will continue as part of BioWorld’s core reporting.

This transition reflects how innovation across the life sciences is increasingly interconnected. By featuring med-tech coverage within BioWorld, readers gain a more complete perspective of key developments in medical technologies alongside therapeutics all in one place.

The final edition of BioWorld MedTech was published on Jan. 30, 2026, introducing a more streamlined and comprehensive experience for readers starting on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.

All existing BioWorld MedTech subscribers will be automatically transitioned to BioWorld Premium, ensuring continued access to med-tech coverage as part of a broader view of research, clinical development and commercialization.

As BioWorld continues its mission to cut through the noise of the life sciences industry with accuracy, clarity and context, this integration ensures readers are well-positioned to track the connections shaping innovation across the global life sciences ecosystem.

Explore curated med-tech coverage within BioWorld.

Thank you for being part of the BioWorld MedTech community. We invite you to continue following coverage within BioWorld.